Hay rake and loader



(ModeL) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. L. BEIGHTLE.

Hay Rake and Loader.

No. 234,741. Patented Nov. 23, 1880.

(Moist) 7 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. L. BBIGHTLE.

Hay Rake and Loader.-

Patented Nov. 23,1880.

STATES ATENT Fries.

JOHN L. BEIGHTLE, OF HOLTON, KANSAS.

HAY RAKE AND LOADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,741, dated November23, 1880,

Application filed April 1, 1880.

To' all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, JOHN L. BEIGHTLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Holton, in the county of Jackson and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Hay Rakes andLoaders;andldo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters orfi gures ofreferencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a view, in perspective, of a device embodying thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same device. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation on line 00 a; of Fig. 2.

This invention relates to that class of devices which are designed torake and load hay, straw, or the like; and the novelty consists in thedetail of the construction and combination of the parts, whereby a verysimple, easilyworked, and strong machine is produced, all as will now bemore in detail set out and explained.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the main frame, which is mounted atthe rear on wheels or carriage B, and in front attached by coupling-pina to any usual means for draft. In the arms a, depending from the rearsides of the frame and coming below the axle b of the carriage orwheels, arejournaled the ends of shaft 0, which comes almost directlyunder the axle. The lower end of the elevator-frame D isjointed to thisshaft 0 by means of the hinge-straps c on each lower end, and thus theframe will be allowed all the movement on said shaft 0 that may bedesired in vertically raising or lowering the front end of the elevator.This movement of raising and lowering is accomplished by means of aWindlass-wheel, E, on the forward end of the frame A, which works theropes or chains 6, passing over pulleys f in the tops of standards F.These standards are fixed at their base in the frame A, and extend up,one on each side of the elevator, to the height which it is desired toraise the said frame. Beingplaced close to the frame, they will alsoserve as guides and supports for it. If desired, the lower end of thisstandard may be braced to the frame, so as to unite all (Model) theparts more firmly together. The elevator has the usual provision ofendless band or apron d, with stops d, to take up the hay, &c., and saidband passes at the lower end of the frame over pulleys g on shaft 0 andsuitable pulleys h in the upper part of the frame.

Motion is communicated to the elevator, as the wheels or carriage B, isdrawn along, by means of the gear-wheel I, fixed on the inside of one ofthe wheels, but of somewhat less diameter than said wheel. In thisgear-wheel meshes the pinion k, which is fixed on the end ofthe shaft 0.Preferably the rim ofone or both the carriage-wheels is roughened, so asto insure its rotation. As the carriage is drawn forward the gear-wheelI acts on the pinion k, and, thus revolving the shaft 0, causes theelevator upon it to move up over the frame and carry with it the hay orother substance which has been caught by the curved teeth L. These teethare fixed in the beam M, which is hinged to the rear of the axle b ofthe carriage and is tilted by the handle-bar 'm. This bar, fitting inthe rack 12, will hold the beam with the teeth in any desired angle.These teeth are made of metal. From the points where they are fixed inthe beam they curve down and ininwardly beyond and below the lower endof the elevator; but about mid way in their length each tooth has asupplemental piece, I, which extends inward and over and above the lowerend of the elevator; but it will be perceived that these teeth have allthe firmness as well as elasticity and good qualities of teeth made of asingle wire, since the arm I is attached at some distance from the lowerend, and cannot in any degree inj uriously affect the action of theteeth in'raking or weaken them. Preferably the teeth have a spiralspring, Z, at the point where they are fixed to the beam M. This willgive additional flexibility to the teeth. The teeth are thus lin ngdirectly above and over the lower end of the elevator, and in suchrelation to it as will insure the most effectual operation of all theseparts in accomplishing the desired ends. The lower ends of the teethcurve down beyond the lower end of the elevator, and thus are bestadapted to gather the hay from the ground, and then, with the arms, willgive a safe, unobstructed, and sure passage for the hay from the groundto the bed of the elevator, while the manner in which the teeth areconnected to the wheels is such as to insure the utmost ease in theiroperation, as well as a strong and durable connection. At the front orupper end of the elevator are the forwardly-projecting guidearms 0, oneon each side, and hinged so as to be turned up over the elevator-bed, asshown in dotted lines, for convenience in packing, &c. They curve alittle inwardly, so as to give the proper direction to the hay, 850., asit is being delivered from the elevator. The board or pieces attached tothe upper ends of the standard E will afford protection to theseguide-arms.

It will be observed that the rake-teeth L will extend under the lowerend of the elevator, and the portion 1, comin g up over the lower end ofthe elevator, will give a direct and easy path for the hay, while thepeculiar V-shaped formation of this part of the tooth will add in a verylarge degree to the efficiency of its operation, and also the peculiarconstruction of the tooth will tend to prevent the hay from clogging.

This machine will take up the hay from the ground as it is left by themower without the aid of a separate rake of any kind and deposit it onthe elevator. The elevator can be let down low when the load is low andthe wind is blowing and then raised in proportion to the increase of theload. The hay will, as it comes up on the teeth, take the course-givenby the projecting arms, and thus will not clog on the teeth, and as thehay comes upon the elevator-it will be deposited evenly thereon, sothat, even without spurs or slats on the apron, the elevator could carrythe hay along upward and away from the rake-teeth.

I am aware, that heretofore a tooth bent at the middle to form therake-tooth and attached at one end to a hinged beam, while the othercurves over the elevator-bed, has been used, and do not claim suchconstruction, since the tooth end is liable to wear out at the end andbreak and the tooth is hung too flexibly, and the inner arm is also tooflexible; nor do I claim that it is new to have a spiral spring at theend of the teeth where they are attached to the frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I consider new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the elevator D of a hay-loader, the hingedguide-arms 0, adapted to be turned upon the elevator-bed, substan-'tially as described.

2. In a hay rake and loader, an elevator hinged at its lower end on ashaft under the axle of the carriage and combined with standards andlifting apparatus at its front end, whereby it can be raised or lowered,and a horizontal frame on which itmay be supported, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

In a hay rake or loader, the tooth L, having about midway of its lengththe curved arm l, substantially as described.

4. in a hay rake and loader, the tooth L, having about midway of itslength the arm I, and at its upper end spring Z, combined with thehinged beam M and carriage B, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. BEIGHTLE.

Witnesses:

J. G. PORTERFIELD, A. R. ()USSLER.

